FAQs
Angels
Will I ever become an angel?
No. Angels are angels and people are people. The Bible says we become like angels however (Matthew 22:30). Also, we shall judge angels (1 Corinthians 6:3).
Do we have guardian angels?
Yes. See Matthew 18:10.
When did God make angels?
He may still be creating them. There is no specific time I can find in the Bible.
GOD
Explain the triune God (the Trinity).
There is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4, Ephesians 4:5-6) in three persons (Matthew 28:19). Think of one egg with three parts (yolk, white and shell).
What does God look like?
We were made in His image, so that’s the best clue we have (Genesis 1:27).
Who are God’s parents?
He has no parents, there is nothing before the beginning (Genesis 1:1). History has a beginning and a goal.
How do we know that God is male and not female?
God is beyond human categories of male and female; nonetheless, Jesus called Him “Father” and we ought to follow His example (Matthew 6:9).
Evil
If God is good and all-powerful, where did evil, sin, and the devil come from?
There are many kinds of evil. Some of it is the result of human choices and human sin and free will. Some of it makes no sense at all, especially natural disasters and childhood diseases (Ecclesiastes 7:15). Now we see darkly through a glass, but someday we will be able to ask God face to face (1 Corinthians 13).
What about the devil?
In Luke 10:18, Jesus talks about seeing Satan fall from heaven. He rebelled against God of his own choice.
Is it a sin to think of bad things as being God’s fault?
Always tell the truth with God. When you pray to Him, tell Him how you really feel, not how you think you “should” feel. See Habakkuk 1:1; the prophets were often angry with God.
Why do people sin?
They choose to.
Why does God send people to hell?
Because He is not only a God of love but also a God of justice (Amos 5:23-24).
It seems like blackmail—God makes the world bad so that we will look up to Him.
Most suffering is of our own making. We also can never make up for all the mistakes that we have made. God offers us grace as a gift. It’s just a more positive way of looking at things. Be careful that you don’t lock yourself into negative ways of seeing the world at such a young age.
Animals
Do animals/pets go to heaven?
The Bible does not tell us. Animals do not sin, since they have no free will.
Chimpanzees and dolphins are almost as intelligent as we are, so what about them?
Because of limited cranial capacity, chimps are not capable of higher reasoning, reflection, guilt, or faith. Thus they cannot sin. Dolphins are unable to manipulate their world and thus have never developed higher reasoning and the ability to plan. Should they ever reach the level of true language and communication with us, perhaps it would them be time to share the love of God with them. Right now we have trouble getting them to count to 3.
Heaven
(The best book on this is Joni Earickson Tada’s book Heaven, Your True Home, available at Daily Bread Books).
What do people do in heaven?
Feast and worship. If you’ve been to a wedding reception, you’re getting a small fraction of the basic idea (Matthew 22, Revelation 19: 7-9).
Do you live another life in heaven, or is it like sleeping?
You don’t live another life, you continue this one (John 3:16). Everlasting life starts when you believe. It is not like sleeping; all the images we have in the Bible portray people wide-awake.
What does your spirit look like?
A lot like your body–Paul couldn’t tell the difference in 2 Corinthians 12. Both before the resurrection on the last day and after, we will look much like ourselves, but will be glorified. Jesus still had holes in His hands and feet, still ate, but had new powers and was a little hard to recognize at first.
How will we find loved ones there?
We will have all the time in the world to look.
How old will we be in heaven?
Being elderly and glorified doesn’t seem to fit. Also, to be stuck as a baby for eternity would not be fair. Maybe at early adulthood before we start to age? Let’s find out. The Bible doesn’t say.
Where is heaven?
Beyond our reach. This is why the imagery for the sky was used to describe it to the ancients.
Hell
I get a lot of questions about Hell.
If you go to hell, can you earn your way back to heaven on good behavior?
Nope. See the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. There is a chasm between the two that no one can cross (Luke 16:20f). The message is, get right with God NOW and don’t wait until later.
Is there a place between heaven and hell?
Catholics think so and call it “purgatory.” Protestants don’t because there’s no such place in the Bible. In a sense, Earth is a place between heaven and hell.
What is hell?
A place of total separation from God, a place of flame (Luke 16:24).
Where is hell?
Like heaven, it is a real place. Like heaven, it is outside the physical, created universe. You cannot go there until you die; it cannot be found by science.
Death
Who goes where after death? What about people who have never heard about Jesus? What about the ancient Native American Indians? What about those who die today never having heard? What about people who lived before the time of Jesus?
The Bible says that there is no other name but Jesus by which we can be saved (Acts 4:12). The fact that the Bible talks about people being saved (Acts 2:47) implies that they were not saved before they heard about Jesus. Abraham was saved by his “generic” faith (he never knew about Jesus) in Romans 4. Romans 1:19-20 talks about how no one has an excuse because you can see God in creation. We need with urgency to spread the Good News to those who have never heard, but ought not to do it out of fear that God will condemn those we don’t reach in time. It would be out of character for the God of faith, hope, and love, however, to demand that people “pass a test” for which it would be impossible for them to prepare.
What about babies and unborn children? Do they go to heaven if they die before they are born or are old enough to have faith?
Yes, Jesus is a protector of the children (Mark 10:13-15). It would be totally out of character for the one who took them in His arms and blessed them to send them to hell. The mentally challenged/retarded, may well fit in with children.
What if you are cremated?
No big deal. Your body, unless preserved in some special way, ends up as dust anyway. Cremation just speeds up the process.
What is this stuff about an unforgivable sin, the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?
Matthew 12:31 talks about this. Faith is the key to salvation. Some people believe Jesus. Some doubt. Some reject Him. But saying that He is motivated by evil is going too far. Everything else can be forgiven.
If you don’t believe in hell, can you still go to heaven?
Nowhere in the Bible does eternal life depend on believing in hell; believing in Jesus is what really counts.
If I were to sin just prior to death, would I go to heaven?
You WILL sin just before death; we sin all the time. The key is not behavior; it is faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9).
If a person sins a lot, more than anyone has ever sinned, will he/she go to hell?
If Adolph Hitler received Christ before his death, you will see him in heaven. See the thief on the cross (Luke 23:43). This will bother us like it bothered the older brother (Luke 15).
What if I sin every day?
Everyone does. Some seek forgiveness. Some do not.
What about committing a crime like murder?
King David and Moses committed murder, and I expect to see them in heaven (Moses talked with Jesus at the transfiguration (Matthew 17). Read Psalm 51 and see how David asked for forgiveness after murdering Bathsheba’s husband).
If you’re in the decision process of receiving Christ and you die, what happens to you?
Don’t put it off! Matthew 25 talks about being prepared. Close the deal now.
My father died two years ago. We never talked about how he felt about Jesus. This troubles me. I’m not sure if he’s in heaven.
Don’t give up on faith, hope, and love (1 Corinthians 13). You loved your father. Have hope that he’s in heaven. Have the faith to share Jesus with others so they don’t have to wonder. Never give up on these three things.
My father doesn’t go to church and I’m not sure if he believes in Jesus. I’m worried about this.
You are worried because you love him and want to spend eternity with him. Stop worrying; that won’t help anything. (We are not to have a spirit of fear – Philippians 4:6-7), but pray every day that someone will share Christ with him. That person might be you and might be someone else.
Is there a way to make someone believe in Jesus?
Not that I’ve seen. Let me know if you find it!
My grandpa died two years ago. Is he in hell? Can I say prayers to him?
Never give up hope that your grandfather is in heaven. Praying to the dead or for the dead can easily be abused and I would not encourage it. Pray to the Lord for yourself and for the living.
Where do Jewish people go?
According to Paul in Romans 11:26, all Israel will be saved. How this will happen is unclear. If you have Jewish friends, in any case, DO share Christ with them.
What about near death experiences?
Be discerning about them, because there are no witnesses to their experience. They could be telling the truth and they could be wrong.
If your heart stops and starts again, have you died?
Only if it never starts again…
Knowing
Knowing ANYTHING with certainty is hard. How do you KNOW that astronauts have walked on the moon?
This is where faith comes in. Hebrews 11:1 says “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
How do you know God’s will for your life?
Ask, seek, and knock every day (Luke 11:9). It’s like being in love, if you have to ask, you don’t know yet…
How do I know that the Bible is true? Who put it together?
It’s like shoes at a shoe store. You try them on until one pair works for you. Same with the Bible. Try it on. Many have done so and it works for them. We all need assumptions to make a world view. For me, the Bible and Jesus are those assumptions. I don’t need to prove them.
How do I know I have received God in my life?
When you say, “Christ is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead. (Romans 10:9).
When I pray, I don’t get an answer.
See Habakkuk. He had the same problem. God sometimes is silent. This often frustrated the prophets. You also may be choosing not to hear what God is saying or don’t yet see how He is working to answer you.
What do you do if you ask for forgiveness and don’t feel forgiven?
Great question! Your parents struggle with this. You are forgiven whether you feel forgiven or not. Try confessing your sin to another Christian in confidence. This often works (James 5:16).
How do you know where you are going (heaven or hell)?
By believing the promise in John 3:16.
How do we know there is a heaven and a hell?
Jesus told us so in Matthew 25:46. It is up to you whether you believe Him or not.
Science and Faith
What about the dinosaurs, cave men, evolution, etc.?
Science is a good thing. Study it hard! But it changes all the time. What science said was true 15 years ago in chemistry, for instance, has all been proven false because no one knew about subatomic particles. Science is a moving target. It is not worth living or dying for. It is all theories. And it will change. Evolution has never been proven, that’s why it’s called a “theory.”
Species come and species go, but there are no records of “transitional” animals. All of a sudden, there are whales. There is no “pre-whale.” The reason the word “dinosaur” is not in the Bible is because the word is a modern invention. The Bible has creatures created before man and women, so there is no contradiction. How long were the seven days of creation? Hard to say, since humans never really put together calendars for a long time. Also, things were very different before the flood. If you want to call someone old-fashioned, call them ante-deluvian (“before the flood”). Science will change in 10 years. The Bible will not. Which is better to stake your hope on?
Other gods
What happens if we believe in other gods?
We break the first commandment. We can be forgiven if we ask for it.
What about reincarnation?
Reincarnation is bad news. It means that everything you do counts and determines how you will come back (prince/princess or cockroach). It is a system which does not enjoy grace. It is not found in the Bible.
Miscellaneous
Why do girls have to suffer for Eve’s mistakes?
See Genesis 3. Both men and women suffer in different ways. We suffer for their mistakes because we choose to repeat those mistakes by choosing to sin.
Do you think that kids come to PowerLife just for fun and music or to learn?
Most of them come for both. Some just for one or the other.
When will Christ return?
When the Gospel has been preached to all peoples and nations (Mark 13:10).
Do you have to go to church to believe in Christ?
No. But if you believe in Christ you will want to fellowship with other Christians – you will want to go to church. (John 15:5).
How long is forever?
Time without ending. The original Bible word for eternal life means “big and without edges.”
I know that we have all sinned, but did Jesus sin Himself?
No. (Hebrews 4:15)
Why are there two Johns in the Bible?
Our house has three. Just kidding. There are all kinds of Johns and Marys in the Bible. Same reasons there are lots of people with the same name at your school. Names go in and out of style. Mary and John were popular in the first generation AD.
Why is it called PowerLife?
See Acts 1:8
If you confess your sins and accept Jesus as your Savior on Sunday, does that mean you can sin up a storm all week?
Absolutely not. (Romans 6:1-2)
Once we believe and accept God’s gift of salvation, how must we live our lives and what must we do to have continued assurance of salvation?
Holding firm to the faith is important (see Hebrew’s 3:6 and 3:12). It seems that it is possible to reject salvation once we have been given it. Salvation is a gift we ought always to be working out (Romans 12:2 and Galatians 2:20). This is one of the central questions on the Christian life, and we at Hosanna! have not yet worked out a clear Biblical answer. What do you think?
